62 THE BOOK OF THE ROSE CHAP. 
the fibres will often be found more handy than 
trowel or spade. Just fairly cover all the roots 
with a couple of inches of soil, tread it very lightly 
and carefully, and pass on to the next plant, for the 
rest of the soil can be added at the conclusion of the 
day’s work. 
In planting dwarfs the point of union should be, 
if the stock be manetti, two inches below the surface 
and one inch if the plants are budded on briar 
cuttings. The Rose may then eventually throw out 
roots of its own, which will not only help to feed it, 
but being nearer the surface will also hold the plant 
more securely against being rocked and loosened by 
the wind. Now therefore may be seen the immense 
disadvantage of a dwarf plant which is not budded 
sufficiently low on the stem: either the roots must 
be placed too deep or the point of union must be left 
uncovered. Order therefore with short ‘‘ legs,” and 
‘“‘see that you get them.” It should be mentioned 
that Mr. Prince of Oxford, who is the principal ad- 
vocate and the largest user of the seedling briar, does 
not advocate the covering of the point of union with 
this stock. I have seen some of his dwarf ‘‘ cut- 
backs”’ on the seedling briar which certainly were 
flourishing exceedingly with the point of union two 
inches above the surface ; but with the briar cutting 
I have found Roses do not thrive so well if thus 
planted, and with the manetti it is absolutely impera- 
tive that the point of union be well covered, or the 
plants will assuredly die. 
Standards must be securely staked at the time of 
planting, and it is better when the hole is made to 
put in the stake before any of the roots are covered, 
or otherwise some of the best of them may be inad- 
